Essay talk:Humour

INterested in your thoughts... how did we develop a sense of humour? ĴαʊΆʃÇä₰ Banhammer, Renamer, and Goat

(edit conflict) I have the same thought about festivals. I mean, ever since the Stone Age, despite having to spend most/all of our time just surviving, humanity has felt the irrepressible need to party. We would spend copious amounts of time harvesting food/ hunting and gathering, only to blow a good chunk of it celebrating the solstice or something. What possible evolutionary advantage does partying give us? Radioactive afikomen ^{Please ignore all my awful pre-2014 comments.} 14:09, 2 March 2009 (EST)

What I am interested in are the social dynamics involved with festivals. Think about it like this, people who go to festivals get to meet other people of the opposite gender, thereby passing on the trait to party. Those who do not party don't meet as many other people, hence, their genes don't spread as fast. ĴαʊΆʃÇä₰ Banhammer, Renamer, and Goat

The answer's not even that complicated. Try living your life, work all the time, never party or kick back, spend no time with family, and see how that turns out. All mammals need to relive stress once in a while, we are no different. Z3ro^talk 14:15, 2 March 2009 (EST)

I think it's worth noting that the ability to experience pleasure was a pretty important evolutionary advancement, since most of the basic things that bring us pleasure are also condusive to survival (food, sex, companionship) just as pain indicates things which are not good for survival. Laughter itself is kindof harder to explain, but it does bring pleasure, has a social function & also makes the individual feel good. ωεαşεζøίɗ^{Methinks it is a Weasel} 14:20, 2 March 2009 (EST)

Hm. I hadn't thought of it that way. I was mostly focusing on the disproportionate, and possibly disadvantageous (evolutionarily speaking), expenditure of resources on festivals. But I see your point about parties increasing one's chances of reproducing. Radioactive afikomen ^{Please ignore all my awful pre-2014 comments.} 14:21, 2 March 2009 (EST)

In retrospect, the idea of getting laid at a party is hardly new. : ) Radioactive afikomen ^{Please ignore all my awful pre-2014 comments.} 14:21, 2 March 2009 (EST)

Weaseloid, I agree that you have a very good point, the ability to recperience pleasure is indeed a very impotant advancement in life, and I have noticed that enjoyment is linked to such functions as eating, having sex (I cannot yet attest to vaginal sex), and being with other people all are sensations that bring pleasure, and pain did, and does, play a very significant role (mutations that remove the ability to feel pain often see the death of the person with that "new" trait). I suppose that laughter, next to joy, is a neutral mutation, one that did not cause any significant harm to the organism it developed in. ĴαʊΆʃÇä₰ Banhammer, Renamer, and Goat

Don't forget that laughter relieves stress. Z3ro^talk 14:28, 2 March 2009 (EST)

I'd go for Stress Relief myself.--Tolerance 17:28, 2 March 2009 (EST)

Having read all the Comments I have two Questions. RA says That "ever since the Stone Age" ... ""humanity has felt the irrepressible need to party " Ummmmm How does he know?

A Couple of authors speak about things that give us Pleasure being (to be fair "usually") conductive to Reproductive Success. How then do we explain that ever-popular pastime, masturbation?--Tolerance 17:41, 2 March 2009 (EST)

I'd go for Stress Relief myself. ωεαşεζøίɗ^{Methinks it is a Weasel} 17:46, 2 March 2009 (EST)

It could be a Fallacy though.--Tolerance 18:42, 2 March 2009 (EST)

It might be important to remember that humor (of a kind, anyhow) is found in "higher" mammals and birds. Chimps are known to take delight in jokes that a 2 or 3 year old does. Hiding things, saying "no" to the "give" command. Dolphins have long been observed to do silly things without malice intent like splash trainers who are wearing "dry" clothes and not the wet suits or swim suits, push them into the water without prompting, and what looks like genuine "laughter" about what they just did. Pet birds also seem to exhibit some behaviors that can only be described as "humerous" for themselves, like poking their owner, and turning away "I didn't do it", then poking again "not me, no sir". This isn't complex Shakespeare, but it's clearly some level of fun.--En attendant Godot_{"Such is life."} 19:16, 2 March 2009 (EST)